TRISH CHOATE: Texas chose to be a part of the U.S.

WASHINGTON — The more than 100,000 — and counting — signers of a petition for Texas to peacefully secede from the United States might envision a return to the glorious, good old days when the Lone Star State was a sovereign nation.

Except they weren't the good old days, the way the chief historian of the Texas State Historical Association tells it.

Randolph B. "Mike" Campbell, a history professor at the University of North Texas, said talk of secession might be more pronounced among Lone Star State residents because of the state's history.

It was the Republic of Texas, an independent nation, for about 10 years before joining the United States in 1845.

The good times did not roll during those 10 years of independence.

"Texas was very, very insecure," Campbell said.

Texians had declared their independence from Mexico and formed their own country, but Mexico wasn't convinced. Mexican forces invaded Texas twice in 1842, occupying and capturing San Antonio.

"They were constantly threatened by Mexico," Campbell said. "Most Texans were aware in order to maintain security, they either needed protection from Great Britain or they needed to join the United States."

Times might seem uncertain now with a shaky economy, and Congress dawdling over the fiscal cliff, a behemoth of tax and budget issues threatening to further shake the economy if left unresolved.

But at least the Mexican military isn't taking possession of the Riverwalk in San Antonio and its environs.

Invasion wasn't the only worry for the citizens of the Republic of Texas.

"It was weak financially, and when you're weak financially, you're in trouble every other way," Campbell said. "It built up a huge debt by the standards of that day."

Citizens of the Republic of Texas were actually thrilled to become citizens of the United States and gain security, he said.

They chose to do so.

"Some people in Texas like to say that Texas never even joined the Union properly," Campbell said.

But in fact, a convention met and voted in favor of it, he said. Then Texas voters approved it in a referendum.

In 1861, Texas seceded and joined the Confederate States of America, Campbell said. Texas was a slave state.

What followed was four years of war, defeat and more than 600,000 lives lost total in the Civil War, he said. Texas' losses were horrifying.

"What I would like to think is that kind of destruction would also have destroyed the notion of secession," he said.

Campbell and other experts agree Texas doesn't have any special right to legally secede — contrary to popular belief.

"Somehow it's in the culture. It's absolutely untrue," he said.

Secession talk these days is a statement of protest against President Obama's re-election more than anything, he said.